Improvement in running-gears for vehicles



. M. WORDEN.

Ruvnn'ing-Gearsfor Vehicles.

Paten'dMay19;4 1874.

l t jh? A UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICEo AMASA M. VORDEN, OF SOUTH BEND,INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN RUNNING-GEARS FOR VEHICLES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 151,069, dated May 19,1874; application filed October 6, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AMAsA M. WORDEN, of the city of South Bend, in thecounty of St. Joseph and State of Indiana, have invented certainImprovements on Buggies, Vagons, (Jarriages, and all vehicles of akindred nature, which improvements are herein set forth, as follows:

My improvements relate more particularly to the gearing of suchvehicles; and-the object of my invention is to obtain, by a novelconstruction and arrangement of the parts, lightness, economy ofmaterial, and avoiding, as far as possible, friction and wear.

Reference being had to the drawings, Figure l represents a side view ofthe body of a buggy supported by my gearing. Fig. 2 is a front elevationin section ofthe fore aXle with friction-wheels attached thereto, andthe fifthwheel or circle, showing the groove in which thefriction-rollers run, and the posts or fellies secured thereto, and alsothe cases containing the coiled springs. Fig. 3 is a front elevation ofthe parts shown in section in Fig. 2.

A denotes the iifth-wheel or a circle, flat, flanged, or grooved on theunder side, and secured tirmly to the reach, and having the posts orfollowers 3 3 secured upon the upper side thereof, as shown in Fig. 2. UC denote A friction-rollers, attached to the axle, by clips orotherwise, at D D, and fitting in the groove on the under side of thecircle A, as shown in Fig. 2. B denotes the reach, swiveled to the hindor rear axle, and having braces E hinged thereto at F, so that the hindaxle-tree may turn on the reach at G, preventing the twist of the reachor boxes. l and 2 denote a coiled spring, with its case or covering. Thesprings 1 l, made of any suitable metal, and of proper strength, areconned within metallic or other suitable cases, and bearing on posts orfollowers 3 3, which may be attached to the fifthwheel, or axle-tree, orbolsters, as the nature of the vehicle may demand. These springs areintended to `support the body or corners of the box of the vehicle. Thecases 2 2 are secured to the body of the vehicle by two braces or arms,as shown in Fig. l. These cases are made with an opening in the lowerend to ad mit of the passage of the posts 3 3 through them, and theopenings are made sufficiently large to allow the free play of the casesupon the posts.

I do not claim to be the iirst to have invented the application offriction-wheels to fifthwheels of vehiclesv to lessen friction; nor do Iclaim to have first invented the use of coiled y springs in hangingcarriage-bodies.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Let ters Pat-ent, is

l( The lcombination of the circle A, friction wheels C G, posts 3 3, andsprings 1 Vl, with their cases 2 2, combined to operate substantially asdescribed.

2. The fifth-wheel composed of the circle A and friction-rollers C C,combined to operate substantially as described.

AMASA MESIAH WORDEN.

Witnesses:

JOHN F. KIRBY, T. G. TURNER.

